Tag: 3BL

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

Life is full of unexpected moments, and unique choices and conventional milestones, like getting married or starting a new job, can be bypassed or reached at different times by different people. No matter when, if or how you reach these milestones, it’s important to make sure the future you build for yourself is protected.

Supplemental insurance can help be an added safety net for any stage and any experience. Aflac offers insurance coverage that can help protect you and your loved ones, in various stages of life. Read on to see how supplemental insurance can be there for you.

Just turned 26

Turning 26 is an important milestone, though it rarely gets a special celebration. It is a key moment because, at this age, many young adults roll off their parents’ health care plans and may be navigating the world of insurance for the first time.

A great place to start is checking to see if your employer offers health care coverage. Major medical coverage helps take care of a wide range of health care costs, while supplemental insurance helps with expenses that may not be covered by major medical insurance, helping protect you from out-of-pocket costs.

Some employers offer supplemental insurance plans such as hospital indemnity coverage. This plan can help with costs related to going to the hospital, high deductibles and even with prescriptions. Because it pays cash benefits directly to you, unless otherwise assigned, it could help with many out-of-pocket expenses. Accident and cancer insurance are other types of coverage that you should ask about at work.

Helping protect your finances

Building a nest egg, whether for a child’s college fund, retirement or an emergency fund, is an important aspect of financial planning — equally important is how you protect your income. There are plenty of insurance options that can help play that role, whether you enroll through your employer, you own your own business or your workplace doesn’t offer supplemental insurance coverage.

For example, critical illness insurance is a great option for someone whose earnings play an important role in family finances. Its lump-sum benefits can help maintain financial stability in the face of a diagnosis. It is also a great fit for anyone with a family history of life-changing illnesses.

On the road

The road warrior lifestyle can look different for everyone along for the ride, whether it’s working freelance jobs and seasonal work or creating social media content about your travel journeys. There are a wide range of options to help protect that lifestyle, including accident, hospital or cancer insurance to enhance your major medical insurance.

Accident insurance can be a great fit for someone with a unique job that requires frequent travel or if you lead an active lifestyle, as it can help with a variety of out-of-pocket costs that arise after an injury as well as hospital stays. Accident insurance coverage can also give added peace of mind; you can apply for coverage, and there is no waiting period.

Becoming a caregiver

Caring for a loved one? The aging population in the U.S. is growing, and many millennials, in particular, are finding themselves in the position of caring for their children and their own parents at the same time. If this sound like you, part of a group referred to as the “sandwich generation,” there are various important, personal choices to make, including which supplemental coverage might be the right fit.

Life insurance can help provide financial security for your loved ones. There are different types of plans to choose from to meet your specific needs. Some policies may even offer an option to use funds now rather than after a loss and can help reduce financial burden in times of need.

Walk your own path

Different paths can take you to different places, but at the end of the day, having a safety net to help protect yourself from unexpected expenses can give added peace of mind.

To learn how Aflac can protect you in any stage of life, visit Aflac.com/resources.

^{Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.}

^{Accident: A37000 series – In Delaware, Policy A371AA & A371BA. In Oklahoma, Policies A371AAOK & A371BAOK. Not available in Idaho and Virgina. A38000 series: In Delaware Policies A38100DE – A38300DE & A382OFDE. In Idaho, Policies A38100ID – A38300ID. In Oklahoma A38100OK – A38300OK & A382OFOK. In Virginia Policies A38100VA – A38300VA & A382OFVA.}

^{Cancer: B70000 series – In Delaware, Policies B70100DE, B70200DE & B70300DE. In Idaho, Policies B70100ID, B70200ID, B70300ID, B7010EPID, B7020EPID. In Oklahoma, Policies B70100OK, B70200OK, B70300OK, B7010EPOK, B7020EPOK. Not available in New York or Virgina. A75000 series – In Virginia, policies A75100VA–A75300VA.}

^{Critical Illness/Specified Health Event: A74000 series: In Delaware, Policies A74100DE, A74200DE, A74300DE. In Idaho, Policies A74100ID, A74200ID, A74300ID. In Oklahoma, Policies A74100OK, A74200OK, A74300OK. In Virginia, Policies A74100VA, A74200VA, A74300VA. A73000 series: In Delaware, Policies A73100DE & A7310HDE. In Idaho, Policies A73100ID & A7310HID. In Oklahoma, Policies A73100OK & A7310HOK. In Virginia, Policy A73100VA & A7310HVA. Not available in New York. B71000 series: In Delaware, Policies B71100, B71200, B7130H & B7140H. In Oklahoma, Policies B71100OK, B71200OK, B7130HOK & B7140HOK. Not available in Idaho or Virginia.}

^{Life: B60000 series: In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Virginia, Policies ICC18B60C10, ICC18B60100, ICC18B60200, ICC18B60300, & ICC18B60400. Not available in Delaware. B61000 Series: In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma & Virginia, Policies ICC18B61JWO & ICC18B61JTO. In Delaware, Policies B61JWO, B61JTO. A68000 series: In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma & Virginia, Policies: ICC1368100, ICC1368200, ICC1368300, ICC1368400. In Delaware, Policies A68100-A68400. Q60000 series: Group Whole Life – In Arkansas & Delaware, Policy Q60100M. In Idaho Policy Q60100MID. In Oklahoma, Policy Q60100MOK. Group Term Life – In Delaware, Policies Q60200M. In Arkansas, Idaho & Oklahoma, Policies ICC18Q60200M, ICC18Q60300C, ICC18Q60400C.}

^{Hospital: In Delaware, Policies B40100DE & B4010HDE. In Idaho, Policies B40100ID & B4010HID. In Oklahoma, Policies B40100OK & B4010HOK. In Virginia, Policies B40100VA & B4010HVA.}

^{Coverage/plan levels may not be available in all states, including but not limited to NJ, NM, NY, VA or VT. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on plan selected. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations and exclusions.}

^{Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999}

^{Aflac New York | 22 Corporate Woods Boulevard, Suite 2 | Albany, NY 12211}

^{Z2600222 Exp. 4/27}

When Priya first enrolled in a vocational training program at her local Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in northern India’s Haryana state, the prospect of a career in technology felt like a future that belonged to someone else.

Across India, ITIs serve as the backbone of vocational education, preparing students like Priya — many of them first-generation learners from underserved communities — for careers in manufacturing, services, and other key industries. But decades of resource constraints at some institutes have led to curricula that need updating, limited professional development opportunities for teachers, and gaps in industry connections.

Oftentimes, these institutions struggle to connect students with modern career opportunities — a risk that could widen the gap between what students are learning and what employers are looking for.

Cisco’s partnership with Quest Alliance, an India-based nonprofit committed to designing solutions that help educators deliver quality skills training, emerged as a direct response to this challenge. One of many nonprofit partners that helped Cisco positively impact 50 million lives in India, Quest Alliance has worked alongside Cisco since 2016. Together, we’re working to drive systemic change across the ITI ecosystem by not only uplifting individual students but also strengthening the institutions and policies that support them.

Strengthening foundations for the future

In 2019, our collaboration with Quest Alliance expanded with the creation of the Future Right Skills Network (FRSN), a multi-stakeholder collaboration originally co-funded by Accenture that today also includes J.P. Morgan, LinkedIn, and SAP Labs India, working alongside key state and central government bodies. FRSN works to make ITIs future-ready through three strategic approaches:

• Shaping national policy in partnership with the Directorate General of Training
• Building capacity among ITI leaders and trainers
• Integrating tech-fueled career development tools like Quest’s MyQuest online platform to extend learning beyond the classroom.

This systems-focused approach was designed to amplify impact. Rather than working with individual students one by one, FRSN focuses on strengthening the institutions and systems that reach students in large numbers, while also working to influence the policies that govern them. Since its founding, the network has supported 2,471 ITIs and reached over 851,000 students. More than 300,000 of those students have benefited directly from Cisco’s support.

The results point to real impact on economic mobility. ITI students with access to digital devices saw their earning opportunities increase by 2.6 times, while those engaging with digital learning platforms experienced a 1.4x improvement in earning potential. In just one year in Haryana, employability skills training contributed to a 50 percent increase in student transitions to jobs aligned with that training.

For students like Priya, these numbers translate into something concrete: a foothold in an economy that had previously felt out of reach. “Before this program, I didn’t think I would ever work in technology,” she says. “But the training I received in employability skills and AI opened doors I didn’t know existed. Today, I’m earning for myself while inspiring others in my community to dream big.”

That individual progress is mirrored at the institutional level. “FRSN has been a valuable partner in advancing our vision for a strong, industry-aligned skilling ecosystem,” says Ms. Trishaljit Sethi, former Director General of Training at the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. “By working closely with state governments, industry leaders, and training institutions, it has helped ensure that ITIs are not just training centers, but true enablers of employment.”

Systemic change for scaled impact

Beyond direct program delivery, the partnership has worked to embed future-ready skills into India’s national policy frameworks, helping ensure that the progress made in individual ITIs can take hold across the broader system. FRSN developed a trainer strategy paper for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship that informed updates to the National Skills Policy and helps ensure that ITI trainers receive the professional development and institutional support they need to deliver quality instruction.

Cisco has also supported the development of an “AI for All” curriculum, integrating AI concepts into mainstream ITI programs to equip students with foundational, future-ready AI literacy skills.

By investing in the people and the policies that power India’s vocational schools, Cisco and Quest Alliance are helping to strengthen the systems that support students’ aspirations and build a future-ready workforce — one where students like Priya aren’t just spectators of the digital economy, but active participants.

View original content here.

by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Gen Blog | Community

Every year on March 27th, National AI Literacy Day brings together educators, students and families to explore how to prepare learners for an AI-enabled world. Organized by the EDSAFE AI Alliance, aiEDU, Common Sense Media and The Tech Interactive, the day combines professional development opportunities for teachers with resources and hands-on activities for students that help demystify AI and support responsible use of this rapidly evolving technology.

At Gen, we believe helping young people understand technology is key to building a safer digital future, and we’re excited to join in this day of action.

Together with Discovery Education, a global leader in standards-based curriculum for K-12 learning, we created “Think Smart: Exploring AI and Staying Safe Online.” This new video series is designed to help children and young people understand AI works and how to use it responsibly. The videos introduce key concepts such as where AI appears in everyday life and how to recognize potential risks. The series is available free to educators, students and families through My Digital Life, a multilingual education platform developed by Discovery Education and Norton, part of the Gen family of brands.

 

Supporting Educators with AI Literacy Resources

Norton has partnered with Discovery Education and National AfterSchool Association on My Digital Life since 2023. The platform provides teachers around the world with standards-aligned instructional resources that help students develop essential digital citizenship skills.

Lesson plans, interactive activities and videos for students in grades 3-8 explore topics such as cyberbullying, misinformation and protecting personal data. Norton’s technical expertise helps ensure the content remains accurate and reflects the latest developments in the digital landscape.

The new AI video series builds on this foundation. Through animated storytelling and relatable scenarios, it explores how artificial intelligence intersects with online safety and everyday digital behavior. The lessons encourage students to think critically about technology while developing the skills needed to use AI responsibly.

Since launching, My Digital Life resources have reached nearly 490,000 young people globally. These materials are currently available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, French and German, helping bring digital education into classrooms across multiple regions.

 

Expanding Access to AI Education

Our collaboration with Discovery Education is part of Gen’s broader effort to expand access to digital safety and AI education for young people.

We also partner with World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), a global movement reaching millions of girls and young women. In 2025, new AI education modules were added to Surf Smart 2.0, a nonformal digital safety education program developed by WAGGGS and Norton that has reached more than 850,000 participants worldwide. Through the program, students explore how AI appears in their daily lives, from chatbots to content recommendations, and learn how to set thoughtful boundaries with emerging tools.

Gen also supports Discovery Education’s Digital Citizenship Initiative, which helps students build the skills needed to create a more respectful and responsible online world. The initiative includes multiple resources on AI literacy, helping middle and high school students better understand how AI shapes their online experiences.

Additionally, we participated in “Teaching AI with Confidence: Skills and Strategies for AI Literacy Day,” a free panel discussion for educators to help strengthen AI‑ready instruction across grade levels. Gen’s Head of Corporate Responsibility & Government Affairs joined the panel, which highlighted practical, age‑appropriate strategies for teaching AI and digital citizenship. Check out the full recording.

By working with educators, nonprofits and technology leaders, we aim to ensure that young people not only understand the tools affecting their digital lives but also feel empowered to use them safely and responsibly.

 

To learn more about Gen’s digital education and training efforts, explore our latest Social Impact Report.

 

These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate-advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Originally published by Mastercard

By: Jon Huntsman, Vice Chair and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard

Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer, Mastercard

Over the past decade, nothing has reshaped the global economy more than digitalization. Nearly 80% of adults worldwide now have a bank or mobile money account, and 84% of adults in low‑ and middle‑income countries have a mobile phone, according to the 2025 World Bank Global Findex. Millions of people and small businesses are part of the digital economy today who weren’t a generation ago — with new ways to earn, pay, save and grow.

These gains matter. But they also contain a lesson: Access alone doesn’t create stability.

Even as connectivity has expanded, more than two billion people remain underbanked or unbanked. And for many who have entered the formal financial system, financial resilience is still fragile. In emerging economies, only slightly more than half of adults could reliably come up with extra money within 30 days to handle an emergency like a job loss, illness or natural disaster, the Findex found. At the same time, cyber threats, scams and fraud are rising, undermining confidence and potentially limiting participation, especially for the small businesses that are the beating heart of their communities.

The digital economy only works when people and businesses feel safe participating — and confident it works for them every day.

Where we’ve been

More than ten years ago, Mastercard set an ambitious goal to bring 500 million people previously excluded from the financial system into the digital economy. In 2020, amid a rapidly shifting global landscape, we doubled that commitment.

Today, we’re proud to share that Mastercard has helped connect one billion people and more than 65 million small businesses to the digital economy. That reflects a decade of innovation — in how we drive access to financial products, such as debit and prepaid cards and expand our acceptance network, in the way we design digital products and programs for maximum impact, and in the creative partnerships we forged with governments, NGOs, fintechs, telcos and community organizations to bring these innovations to market.

Those efforts brought people into the system, but they also showed us something important: While access remains critical, lasting impact requires helping people move beyond access toward consistent, confident use of digital tools that can create greater financial health.

Our next commitment

That’s why Mastercard is now committing to connect and protect 500 million more people and small businesses on their pathways to financial health by 2030.

Financial health doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a journey, from obtaining a payment credential and building transaction history to accessing more advanced services like credit, loans or insurance that help people absorb shocks and manage risks. Paths may differ, but secure infrastructure, confident digital engagement, and an expanding credit profile are what make financial resilience possible.

This shift reflects what is continuing to unfold in the world today: more digital participation alongside rising cyber risks. It also reflects what we’ve learned: consumers who actively use digital financial tools are more likely to adopt additional products, build resilience and engage more deeply in the formal economy.

Small businesses are central to this commitment. They are engines of growth and inclusion yet are increasingly targeted by cybercrime. When they can participate safely and confidently, they strengthen the communities they serve.

Expanding access with purpose

For many people, the first step into the digital economy isn’t a full‑service bank account. It’s a simple, secure way to receive money and pay for everyday needs. That’s why we designed Essential Debit and Essential Prepaid programs for underbanked and unbanked consumers, with the flexibility to handle everything from wages and government disbursements to daily purchases securely backed by the trust and reach of Mastercard’s global acceptance network. These programs are already live in Nigeria and Colombia, with more countries coming online in the months ahead, to help move people from occasional participation to confident, consistent use.

Supporting confident, everyday usage

Access delivers its greatest impact when digital tools are practical and trusted in daily life. People who move from basic access to consistent use generate significantly more economic activity — 342% more, according to one Mastercard study in the Philippines — and are far more likely to adopt multiple products over time. And by enabling acceptance and expanding issuance for small businesses and supporting a growing network of digital wallets and partners, we are building ecosystems where digital participation feels intuitive, not intimidating.

Strengthening security, vital to resilience

For small business owners, a cyber incident is more than a technical dilemma — it can mean lost revenue, broken trust or even the end of their entrepreneurial dream, which can be fatal to their financial health. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, Mastercard is scaling partnerships, capabilities and tools that help small businesses better understand and manage cyber risk, build awareness and foster a culture of cyber readiness.

Advancing financial health through collaboration

Moving beyond access requires shared insight and collaboration. That’s why Mastercard recently launched the Global Financial Health Coalition, bringing together financial institutions, NGOs, telecommunications companies, wallet providers and other industry leaders to turn knowledge into action. Guided by principles of connection, protection and empowerment, the coalition focuses on advancing healthy financial behaviors, improving how financial health is measured, and supporting long‑term resilience for consumers and small businesses across regions.

Why this work matters more than ever

Make no mistake: The digital economy is the global economy, and opportunity depends on secure, trusted participation. Without trust, people and businesses slow down. With it, innovation compounds and opportunity travels farther.

The goal isn’t simply a larger digital economy. It’s one people can rely on — where participation is safe and progress is possible, even probable, because trust is built into every step. Our role is to build the road that makes the digital economy work for everyone by leveraging our innovation, network, partnerships and convening power.

Reaching one billion people showed what collaboration and purpose could achieve. The work ahead is about going further — helping the next 500 million people and small businesses build confidence, stability and opportunity.

Continue reading here.

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Recently, a New York Times article explored the question of whether advancements to AI in medicine could reduce the value of a doctor. Do you see this taking place — or is AI redefining that value?

Dr. Weinstein: I think AI changes the balance of how doctors work rather than reduces the value of that work.

Technology has always shaped and reshaped medicine. The internet changed how we access information. Electronic health records changed how we interact with data. Before that, medical textbooks and journals shaped how physicians stayed current.

Technology and times change.

AI is probably a tool that will change the nature of how physicians do their work.

The irreducible value of a physician is the coaching, the relationship and the human-to-human interaction that translates knowledge and information into suggested action.

Humans — our patients — are often inconsistent and struggle with long-term changes in behavior patterns. The role of physicians and clinicians is to provide consistent support and advice over time.

That human connection, sustained over years in complex chronic disease, is not diminished by AI

It may actually become more central.

What makes kidney care a good fit for AI tools?

Dr. Weinstein: Success in complex chronic disease management – like kidney care – requires two things: large amounts of data and long-term relationships that help shape patient outcomes.

Nephrology is extremely data rich, with information collected from a wide variety of sources — labs, dialysis metrics, blood pressures, medications, hospitalization data, imaging, specialist notes.

The challenge is not the absence of data. The challenge is fragmentation, variability in format and the cognitive load required to assemble a coherent clinical picture.

For me, the greatest promise AI in nephrology is effective summarization and aggregation to directly reduce the cognitive burden and uncover nuanced patterns that may otherwise be too subtle or too time-consuming to detect during a busy day. This provides immediate and meaningful value for clinicians and their patients.

How does this change your day as a physician?

Dr. Weinstein: If AI manages data retrieval, summarization and pattern recognition, it can fundamentally shift how I spend my time.

Much of my cognitive energy goes toward searching medical records, reconciling information across systems and interacting with a keyboard. If that burden is reduced, I can redirect that time toward coaching and education — which is central to managing chronic kidney disease.

This also has the potential to impact physician well-being. Reducing cognitive load mitigates the “drinking from a firehose” effect of information overload. It creates space not only for better patient interaction, but also for addressing burnout and mental fatigue among clinicians.

Essentially it could perhaps give more of that human role back to caregivers. More time making eye contact. More time building rapport. More time reinforcing what we know helps improve outcomes.

What is the value of human connection in medicine?

Dr. Weinstein: At least for the foreseeable future, AI struggles with the subtleties of human emotion and the ability to read between the lines. Patients often communicate indirectly: Their tone, hesitation, body language and inconsistencies all carry meaning.

There is also the matter of trust. Many patients may not fully trust technology or may lack consistent access to it. For them, the human relationship is foundational.

And, there is something powerful about human-to-human accountability. Patients sometimes adhere to treatment not because an algorithm or literature tells them to, but because they trust the person sitting across from them.

That relational bond is difficult to replicate electronically. It involves nuance, empathy, social norms and shared history.

How can healthcare systems help ensure physicians maintain decision-making authority?

Dr. Weinstein: Appropriate AI use begins with training and governance.

First, the right people need access to the right tools. Second, clinicians must understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI systems change. Medical terminology evolves. LLMs are upgraded. Data quality varies. Outputs can drift.

Healthcare systems must establish institutional safeguards — governance frameworks, audit mechanisms and clear expectations that AI remains advisory rather than determinative.

Equally important is cultivating individual accountability and critical thinking among all clinical and physician users. Clinicians and physicians must be trained to ask the right questions (what do you really want to know about this data or patient?) and view AI output from through lens of patient safety, error-checking, a broader clinical context, as well as bias or drift monitoring.

The goal is augmented decision making (enhancing the quality, speed or depth of thought while keeping the human in the loop), not an abdication of critical thinking.

In Lirquén, Chile, recovery is beginning to take shape.

Just two months after wildfires destroyed homes and displaced families, DP World has delivered the first newly rebuilt house for an affected employee — marking a key milestone in the transition from emergency response to long-term recovery.

The home, built for employee Vanessa Carrasco Villegas and her family, is the first of many planned as part of DP World’s broader US$2.2 million reconstruction effort for their workforce in the region.

From Crisis Response to Long-Term Recovery

The January fires had a profound impact, with 166 DP World employees losing their homes either completely or partially. In response, the company moved quickly to provide immediate support while also committing to rebuild.

“DP World has been amazing. They’ve supported us from day one of this disaster… We are incredibly grateful,” said Vanessa Carrasco Villegas.

Worker representatives also emphasized the importance of the initiative in accelerating recovery and restoring stability for families. 

Curtis Doiron, CEO of DP World in Chile, said: “Rebuilding these homes is about far more than replacing what was lost — it’s about investing in the long-term strength of our people and the communities where we operate. When our employees have stability, entire communities can recover and grow. This effort reflects our commitment to supporting not just immediate recovery, but the resilience and economic vitality of Lirquén for years to come.”

A Program Focused on People

The reconstruction effort is designed to deliver permanent, high-quality housing while helping families return to normalcy as quickly as possible.

• 166 homes supported
  • 30 new builds
  • 136 reconstructions
• Built on employees’ original land
• Delivered fully equipped with modern, resilient construction features 

Rebuilding Homes and Community

The first home marks an important step, but the broader effort continues.

DP World is working alongside local stakeholders and employees to ensure reconstruction progresses quickly and effectively, supporting not just housing, but the long-term resilience of the community.

As additional homes are completed in the coming months, each will represent more than a physical structure. They will signal progress for families, for workers, and for a community rebuilding together.

In Lirquén, recovery is no longer just about what was lost, but about what is being rebuilt —one home at a time.

Learn more about DP World’s commitment to Lirquen recovery efforts 

On March 12, 2026, CVS Health proudly celebrated the Grand Opening of City Hall Place in Kansas City, Kansas, alongside our valued colleagues, local leaders, community organizations, development partners, and residents. This event marked the opening of a new community that blends new construction with the adaptive reuse of the former Kansas City Hall, offering 104 thoughtfully designed affordable housing units for families earning up to 40% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Developer Eagle Point Development created a high-quality, dynamic, and affordable housing community that honors the historic legacy of the former City Hall while introducing modern design elements and amenities. Residents have access to a business center, community room, picnic and barbecue area, storm shelter, on site laundry, playground, and bike parking. City Hall Place is centrally located and connects residents to walkable amenities that support community engagement, growth, and opportunity.

It was inspiring to celebrate this milestone with the many partners who helped bring this vision to life, including WNC, Eagle Point Development, Sugar Creek Capital, the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, our dedicated colleagues from CVS Health, Aetna, and Oak Street Health, as well as giveaways from the NWSL’s Kansas City Current.

The day before the Grand Opening, we assembled and distributed 104 Welcome Home gifts for residents of City Hall Place, each including a stainless-steel cooking pot with a Walmart gift card inside. A huge thank you to all of our colleagues who volunteered. This effort would not have been possible without you!

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating this important milestone. We value these moments and are grateful to all who contributed to making the Grand Opening a success. This accomplishment reflects the strong commitment and collaboration of our colleagues across CVS Health, Aetna, and Oak Street Health.

At Trane Technologies, we believe in a sustainable world made real through human ingenuity. As a global climate innovator, we are investors in tomorrow’s possibilities — and the people who dare to create them. Climate innovation is not just our goal. It’s how we operate.

Leaders like Sajid Khanpuri embody this spirit by building the technical infrastructure needed to deploy AI-enabled, cloud-based energy optimization at scale. Bold ideas, paired with the right culture and the right team, can turn ambitious goals into measurable results.

Where energy gets personal

Sajid Khanpuri is someone who likes big challenges — and his reasons for that run deeper than most. Growing up in Zambia, where most of his family still lives, Sajid witnessed firsthand what happens when a nation’s growth outpaces its energy infrastructure. Power interruptions and load shedding were a fact of life, and they left a lasting impression.

“There was big expansion in the country,” Sajid says. “However, the infrastructure of energy was not keeping up. And, to this day we still see ramifications of that.”

For Sajid, energy efficiency was never just a concept — it was a lived experience. That conviction followed him when he relocated to Canada to study mechanical engineering at the University of Ottawa, and it stayed with him after he graduated in 2015. After a stint in medical manufacturing, he eventually landed at an HVAC controls company where he developed deep technical expertise in building automation systems, with an eye toward where he wanted to go next.

Big dreams meet real results

A tip from a friend in the HVAC industry led Sajid to BrainBox AI, a business within Trane Technologies specializing in AI-enabled energy optimization, and an interview quickly convinced him he’d found what he was looking for. Sajid joined in May 2021 as an onboarding engineer, drawn by the company’s big ambitions and the way it thought beyond a single building to a set of built environments that could span an entire region, a country, even the globe.

“When I saw that they were leveraging AI, that’s where my curiosity was piqued. Here was a company that wanted to impact the whole globe, and now had the technology to do it. I’d love to be part of that.”

As BrainBox AI scaled, so did Sajid’s role within it. What began as hands-on deployment work evolved into something larger — building and leading the Client Performance Services (CPS) team, a group dedicated to ensuring that deployed sites continue to perform and improve over time. In October 2025, he was named team manager, a reflection of both his technical expertise and his ability to lead through complexity. It’s a role that has put him at the forefront of some of the most ambitious AI-enabled energy projects in the industry.

None has been more defining than the Dollar Tree project. Working within Trane Technologies’ broader commitment to delivering scalable climate solutions, BrainBox AI leveraged Trane Autonomous Control technology to remotely integrate, control and optimize HVAC equipment across hundreds, then thousands of individual Dollar Tree stores. It was coordinated efficiency on a scale that had never been attempted before.

The challenge for Sajid’s team was to keep HVAC units across a massive and rapidly growing portfolio performing at maximum efficiency. Starting with 616 sites and eventually scaling to nearly 3,000, every building presented its own set of variables — different layouts, different equipment, different conditions. Sajid’s team built a monitoring system to track uptime and performance across all of them, ensuring the AI’s decisions were continuously delivering the energy savings promised to the client.

“Our team’s job, once the buildings were deployed, was to make sure they were not only performing but continuously improving,” Sajid said. “The challenge was: how do we ensure that the AI’s algorithm, the decisions it’s making, are actually impacting the energy savings we’re trying to extract?”

The result is an AI solution now managing 3,000 stores that has become the model for an entirely new approach to remote building management and optimization. To date, the project has delivered 7,980,916 kilowatt hours of energy savings, 5,632 tons of carbon emissions reduced and more than $1 million in cost savings. This is proof that for Sajid and his team, thinking big delivers real results.

The moment that made it real

When the first rounds of performance data came in and the results were presented to the Dollar Tree team, the numbers spoke for themselves. For Sajid, it was when the scale of what they had built truly sank in, and confirmation that the approach his team had developed could deliver at a level no one had attempted before. “It was the moment,” Sajid said, “that we were able to prove not only to our customers, but also to ourselves that we could take on these big challenges.”

“We’re big dreamers — and we don’t just leave them as dreams. The goal is always to turn them into reality. That’s the drive I see in this culture every day, and it’s what keeps me pushing forward.”

_{Sajid Khanpuri
Client Performance Services Team Manager
Trane Technologies}

Dreaming big, every day

Sajid’s work, and that of the entire BrainBox AI Client Performance Services team, is a powerful contribution to Trane Technologies’ Gigaton Challenge — the ongoing commitment to reducing one billion metric tons of customer greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. For Sajid, that goal is personal. The power interruptions he witnessed growing up in Zambia taught him early that challenges as large as the global energy crisis demand solutions that match them in scale and ambition. At Trane Technologies, he’s found the platform to pursue exactly that.

“Growth happens in the journey toward a goal,” Sajid reflects, “Even if you don’t reach it exactly as you imagined, you always end up somewhere better than where you started.”

Ready to make an impact? Engineer your future with Trane Technologies.

Throughout March, the Chemours Women’s Network (CWN) led initiatives that engaged employees across the globe in activities designed to elevate diverse perspectives, strengthen connections, and support a more inclusive workplace and community.

Employees were encouraged to participate in learning opportunities, engagement activities, and local events that highlighted the contributions of women across science, manufacturing, sustainability, and community leadership, while reinforcing the role inclusion plays in innovation and performance.

A central element of the month was an employee Spotlight Series, which featured team members sharing perspectives on leadership, career development, mentorship, and inclusion. Featuring a range of roles, career stages, and regions, the series illustrated how diverse experiences and perspectives contribute to innovation and strengthen Chemours’ workforce. Employees reflected on how inclusion, mentorship, and allyship have shaped their growth and experiences at Chemours:

“I’m most motivated to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences… it not only strengthens our solutions but also challenges me to grow every day.”

Laura Bartholomew, Thermal & Specialized Solutions Global Sustainability Leader

“Working in a technical job where accuracy is so important, I found myself hesitating to make decisions, especially if I didn’t have all the information. My mentor’s advice helped me learn that true growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone, and that can mean making decisions with incomplete information.”

Ruthie Bauer, Manufacturing Technology Engineer

“Real growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone. If a new role feels entirely familiar from day one, it may not be stretching you enough.”

Cheyenne Ysewijn, CWN Belgium Chapter Leader & Sales Effectiveness Analyst

“I’m the only male member of the Chemours Women’s Network [India Chapter], and the fact that this feels completely normal, welcomed, and even appreciated says a lot about how genuinely inclusive our culture is.”

Pranjal Garg, SAP Security & GRC Lead

CWN chapters worldwide also participated in locally driven initiatives that fostered connection, well-being, and gratitude. In Spain, employees from the Chemours Asturias office participated in a volunteer initiative at Residencia El Carmen, an elderly care home in Gijón where they engaged with residents, sharing stories and honoring the women who have paved the way for future generations. In Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, CWN chapters hosted a virtual yoga session to promote mindfulness and well-being in observance of International Women’s Day. Meanwhile, in Belgium, employees celebrated World Compliment Day alongside International Women’s Day by collecting heartfelt messages for women within the organization, fostering a culture of appreciation and belonging. Together, these locally driven initiatives reflected how CWN chapters bring Chemours’ commitment to inclusion and belonging to life across regions and cultures.

While Women’s History Month provides a moment to reflect and connect, these initiatives underscore how embedding respect, inclusion, and equity into an organization’s culture strengthens teams, expands perspectives, and supports performance.

Learn more about Chemours at www.chemours.com. 

News Summary

• LG Electronics USA partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to enhance mental wellness resources at the host schools of the 2026 NCAA Final Four men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments – Indiana University, Indianapolis (IU Indy) and Arizona State University.
• LG hosted a discussion with IU Indy student-athletes on the importance of mental health resources featuring local WNBA player and NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball champion Lexie Hull.
• As a Proud Partner of the NCAA, LG has championed student athlete mental health and wellness initiatives since 2022, providing more than $2.5 million in support.

INDIANAPOLIS, April 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Official NCAA® Corporate Partner LG Electronics USA is expanding its efforts to support student well-being by partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to provide funding and resources to the host schools of the 2026 NCAA Final Four® college basketball tournaments. Since 2022, LG has dedicated more than $2.5 million to elevate and improve mental health initiatives for student-athletes. 

This year, LG is awarding the 2026 host schools for the men’s and women’s NCAA Final Four tournaments – Indiana University, Indianapolis (IU Indy) and Arizona State University, respectively – $10,000 each to strengthen their local “NAMI on Campus” clubs and expand access to critical mental health resources for student-athletes. LG’s support will enable each host school to work with student organizations like NAMI On Campus to enhance programming, boost students’ awareness of available mental health resources and offer peer support to students in need.

On-Campus Event Engages Student-Athletes in Meaningful Mental Health Dialogue

President and CEO of LG Electronics North America Don Kwack presented the check to IU Indianapolis during the NCAA Men’s Final Four weekend at a special on-campus event where IU Indy student-athletes met with local WNBA player and NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball champion Lexie Hull where she shared her advice on navigating the pressures of being a student-athlete. 

“Mental health and well-being are vital, particularly for teenagers and young adults,” said Kwack. “Through our continued partnership with NAMI, LG is able to provide meaningful, on-campus support for students’ mental wellness.” 

Hull said, “It was a pleasure to participate in this event and share with these student-athletes my journey through college athletics and how I managed my mental well-being along the way. I’m grateful to LG for their continued support of such an important initiative.”

Final Four Spotlights Awareness and Programs for Student Mental Wellness 

“My experience as a college athlete taught me the importance of camaraderie and support, both from your teammates and the broader community around you,” said NAMI CEO Dan Gillison Jr. “With LG’s continued partnership and lasting commitment to student mental wellness, we’re working to expand our NAMI On Campus clubs and mental health resources in tournament host cities to help students connect with and support one another. The Final Four is an annual opportunity to shed light on the value of mental health resources for student athletes.”

“IU Indianapolis is committed to providing our student-athletes with the mental health resources they need to thrive and compete at the highest level, both in competition and in the classroom,” said Luke Bosso, Director of Athletics at IU Indianapolis. “With LG’s support, we’re better equipped than ever to support mental wellness for all our student-athletes.”

LG Podcast Seres and Life’s Good Coaches Award Support Student Mental Health

As a Proud Partner of the NCAA, LG has championed student athlete mental health and wellness initiatives since 2022, providing more than $2.5 million in support.

LG’s dedication to student-athlete mental wellness is exemplified by its LG Life’s Good Coaches award, which recognizes NCAA coaches who promote mental health awareness and cultivate supportive environments for their student-athletes. Annual award recipients are nominated by their student-athletes. Prior recipients include Samantha Erger, Southern Methodist University; Luke Strand, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Yasmin Farooq, University of Washington; and David Lynn, Oklahoma Christian University. 

In addition to celebrating each coach, LG provides cash and product donations to their respective universities to support mental health initiatives on campus. Nominations for the 2026 LG Life’s Good Coaches award will open later this month. For more information, visit  www.lg.com/ncaa. 

Further demonstrating LG’s long-standing commitment to student mental health is its Transparent Conversations podcast series. Since 2022, this podcast has provided a platform for authentic discussions about student-athlete mental health challenges. To learn more about LG’s partnership with the NCAA or listen to the Transparent Conversation podcast, visit www.lg.com/us/transparent-conversations.   

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About LG Electronics USA

Official NCAA Corporate Partner LG Electronics USA Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a smart life solutions company with annual global revenues of more than $60 billion. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and vehicle components. LG is an 11-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. www.LG.com.

About the National Alliance on Mental Illness 
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

About NAMI On Campus

NAMI On Campus clubs work to end the stigma that makes it hard for students to talk about mental health and get the help they need. Clubs hold creative meetings, innovative awareness events, and offer signature NAMI programs through partnerships with NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates across the nation.

Media Contacts:

LG Electronics North America

John I. Taylor
john.taylor@lge.com
+1 202 719 3490

LG Electronics USA
Chris De Maria
christopher.demaria@lge.com
+1 908 548 4515